The CLiF Project

Lifetime Burden

Oregon is one of only a few states in the nation that places juveniles adjudicated for a felony sex crime on the sex offender registry for life. Yet numerous studies have shown that juveniles who commit a sex offense have vanishingly low rates of reoffending. These studies have also shown that there is no public safety benefit from keeping these juveniles on a registry.

A Way Forward

Making a Difference

“The lawyers working in the CLiF Project make a concrete difference in the lives of young people who have taken the steps to turn their own lives around. With the help our Project provides, these young people are able to find stable jobs and housing, often for the first time in their adult lives," says Vicki Ballou, CLiF Project Co-Founder

First Class Connections

CLiF is a collaboration with Youth, Rights & Justice (YRJ), a regional juvenile law public interest law firm whose mission is to "Improve the lives of vulnerable children and families in Oregon.

Let's Get Started!

If you need help in seeking relief from sex offender registration, are interested in volunteering, or are an attorney helping someone in need, reach out to us for assistance.

What CLiF Clients say:

“I have lived in fear for much my adult life. The requirement to register as a Sex Offender denied me the opportunity to put foolish behavior behind me and move on from my mistakes as many others do. The CLiF Project helped me navigate the court system and remove the label, fear, and embarrassment that accompanied it. As a father, a husband, and an active business partner in my community, the fear of my past no longer resides in the back of my mind. The CLiF Project's dedication allows those of us who made mistakes as children to remove the finality of those decisions and give us hope for the future. I feel I was completely reborn this past year with the label of "sex offender" removed from my name. Words can’t express the gratitude I feel towards the CLiF Project. –A grateful client" -A grateful client

What CLiF Project Partners say:

“Judges frequently comment on how deserving petitioners are of relief and how happy they are to grant it. It is only because of the CLiF Project that these petitioners and their cases ever get back in front of a judge. It is difficult to imagine a group of clients who have been more misunderstood and often vilified in our society than those served by the CLiF Project. It is truly remarkable that they have chosen to commit their time, energy, passion and legal skills to serve these clients." -Youth Rigths & Justice

What CLiF Lawyers say:

How does someone get off the registry in Oregon?

Oregon law allows a person adjudicated as a juvenile to petition the juvenile court for relief from registration two years after the end of supervision. Yet the process is complicated for a lay person, and few of the many registrants eligible for relief have the resources to navigate it. In an innovative collaboration between a Youth, Rights & Justice and lawyers in private practice, the CLiF Project provides pro bono legal assistance to low income individuals in seeking relief. While it was started by lawyers at Tonkon Torp, LLP, lawyers and volunteers from a variety of backgrounds participate in this program.

What does the law say? We are excellent explainers.

Oregon is one of just a few states that require every juvenile adjudicated for a sex offense to register on its sex offender registry for life. The negative impact on juveniles is well known—they cannot obtain housing, find jobs, join the military, or sometimes even their own children's school events. The CLiF Project helps CLiF clients show judges how far they've come since their adjudication years ago.

CLiF needs volunteers like you Yes, you.

There are about 3,400 people on Oregon sex offender registry for offenses committed as juveniles. There are always more CLiF cases than the Project can handle. Please consider becoming a volunteer and collaborating with the many volunteer lawyers who are already handling cases. With the expansion of the project to people to appear on their own behalf, there are also opportunities for people who are not lawyers to participate in meaningful ways under the supervision of a CLiF lawyer. The CLiF Project has developed deep expertise and experience in this area of law, so that volunteers who have never worked in this area of law can feel comfortable that they are working with a highly competent team.

Contact us

If you need help in seeking relief from sex offender registration: Start by calling Youth Rights & Justice at 503-232-2540 and ask to be screened for participation in the CLiF Project. You must have been adjudicated for sex offense as a juvenile, and must now live, work or go to school in Oregon to be eligible.

If you would like to volunteer: The CLiF Project needs volunteer lawyers and others who are interested in our work. Email clifproject@tonkon.com.

If you are a lawyer helping someone seek relief from registration: The CLiF Project shares its expertise and forms with lawyers all over Oregon. Email clifproject@tonkon.com if we can help.